San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Victor Wembanyama already more popular than most NBA superstars

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 4/15/24

Victor Wembanyama is one of those rare talents whose game catches the attention of all comers. It's not just the basketball purists who appreciate his skillset. Even casual NBA fans can't help but watch the 7-foot-4 phenom do his thing on the court.

Most metrics suggest that the Spurs rookie is already a widely popular NBA superstar.

According to a press release by the NBA, Wemby ranked No. 3 among the top 10 viewed players across social and digital platforms for the 2023-24 season. With 1.3B views, Wembanyama trailed only LeBron James (1.9B views) and Stephen Curry (1.7 B views), edging out the likes of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.

The top 10 most-viewed players on @NBA social this season ⬇️ https://t.co/qxgUjKm6E4 pic.twitter.com/ARqnOr6qdb
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 15, 2024

The report added that Wemby's free throw line dunk against the Celtics on Dec. 31 was the second-most watched highlight reel of the season. The video raked in a whopping 247M views.

Wembanyama also ranked No. 4 in the NBA's top-selling jerseys as of Jan. 30, trailing only Curry, Tatum and James. That is another metric that emphasizes the Frenchman's surging popularity.

The amazing thing is that Wembanyama is attracting all these eyeballs despite playing for a small market team in San Antonio. Just imagine if he were playing in New York or Los Angeles.

Next season, the NBA is expected to capitalize on the phenom's popularity by giving the Spurs more nationally televised games. And if the Spurs make the playoffs, we're officially in the Wemby Era.

Wembanyama wrapped up his rookie campaign with a 37-point outing against the Nuggets last Friday. He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks as a rookie.

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